Every school year begins the same way. The optimistic faces of students and teachers are walking about the hallways. Although most students won’t admit it, they are glad to spend more time with their friends in school as they develop both academically and socially. Teachers eagerly meet new students and begin to cultivate their relationships with students and parents for a positive educational year. The summer has passed and we are all ready for the upcoming challenges in store. Last week Mr. Nelson wrote on the challenge of changes in staff and the programming in the elementary school. The first two weeks at Dell Rapids Middle School have been no different in the continuance of change.

Our staff has undergone noteworthy change. This year we welcome Ryan Thompson as our seventh and eighth grade math teacher. Mr. Thompson just earned his Master’s Degree from USF in education Ryan and his family live in Brandon where he has been working in the Brandon Valley School District for the past three years.

Stacey Gleason brings experience and a wealth of knowledge to our Language Arts department. Ms. Gleason will be teaching seventh and eighth grade reading. She most recently served as an adjunct professor at USF and is a Dell Rapids native. Ms. Gleason and her family are residents of the district.
Jamie Randall is once again a member of the middle school staff. Jamie returns as a sixth grade teacher after three years absence. She will again focus most of her efforts teaching science and will also teach reading and language arts. Ms. Randall and her family are also residents of our school district.

Corey Meyer is instructing our fifth and sixth grade instrumental music students this year. Mr. Meyer just completed his student teaching with us last spring and is adjusting to his new role. He teaches here during the morning hours each day. Mr. Meyer lives in Sioux Falls where he completed his degree at Augustana College.

Jodi Robertson also spends her mornings in the middle school as our fifth and sixth grade guidance counselor as well as the K-4 counselor. She and her family live in Sioux Falls where she worked last year at the Children’s Home Society.

Our new staff is acclimating themselves quickly to our school culture and their fresh viewpoint and input will positively affect our students and staff.

One note on the technology front is the future integration of Chromebooks in the eighth grade. Ms. Brekke will be implementing a writing curriculum in language arts that will allow our students to enter the paperless world. Making this adjustment will take time to complete, and we look forward to observing how this transition will evolve.

These are challenging times in education. New Common Core Standards and online methods of evaluating progress will be addressed repeatedly throughout the school year. Our talented and dedicated staff is up to this challenge, and we look forward to working together with parents and the community as we focus on improving student achievement.